Bag for collecting body fluids provided with a device for opening and closing a discharge channel

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a bag ( 1 ) for collecting body fluids, such as excrement, for a person having undergone an ostomy. The bag comprise a receptacle pouch ( 10 ) terminated by a neck ( 15 ), a discharge channel ( 20 ) linked to said neck ( 15 ) and having a waste opening ( 25 ), an opening/closing device to shift the discharge channel ( 20 ) from a folded closed state to an unfolded opened state and comprising first ( 32 ) and second ( 36 ) opening/closing means arranged transversely relative to the discharge channel ( 20 ). A film ( 11; 12 ) of the receptacle pouch ( 10 ) is provided externally with a rigidifying member ( 40 ) proximate the neck ( 15 ) and the second opening/closing means ( 36 ) of the discharge channel ( 20 ) is arranged, at least in folded closed state, in a slot ( 45 ) located between the rigidifying member ( 40 ) and said film ( 11; 12 ) of the receptacle pouch ( 10 ).

The invention relates to a bag for collecting body fluids provided witha device for opening and closing a discharge channel for dischargingsaid body fluids outside the bag.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

After a surgical ostomy operation performed as a result of amalformation, tumour or inflammation, and in particular after anileostomy or a colostomy, it is advisable to connect the ileum of thesmall intestine or the colon to the abdominal wall in order tore-establish the faecal material elimination functions which can nolonger be performed automatically and which thus occur uncontrollably asdigestion proceeds. A comfortable, hygienic device which does notdisturb the patient's activities, such as work, sport or leisure, isthus provided to this end.

Consequently, the patient with a stoma is generally provided with a bagfor collecting body fluids, which is set in place immediately after theoperation, generally around an abdominal orifice for discharge of faecalmaterial. This bag, which conventionally takes the form of a pouch offlexible woven material impermeable to the fluid which it contains, maybe removable or its contents may be drained. In this particularembodiment, it is common to use a drainage device connected at thebottom of the bag to a narrower neck, such that the faeces flow outprincipally by gravity when the drainage device is in the open position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of drainage device for bags for collecting body fluidshave been described in prior publications, and in particular in patentdocument U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,320. This patent describes a drainagedevice in which the narrower portion of the bag, or discharge channel,is divided into three parts separated from one another by two folds andheld in position by strips of hook and loop material, such as “Velcro”.Opening takes place as soon as the strips are detached, and it is thusnot very convenient or reliable because the strips may become detachedby themselves, in particular if they get caught on clothes.

It is also already known from patent document U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,005 toprovide a drainage device in which the opening and closing operationstake place in two successive stages with an intermediate position inwhich it is necessary to provide a first closing means when a secondmeans is opened, in order to prevent untimely opening and leaks.

However, in this device, keeping the first closing means closed in theintermediate position of the drainage device requires mechanicalreinforcement of the films constituting the discharge channel, in orderto withstand the pressure exerted on a fold forming a closure zone inwhich liquid stools to be discharged accumulate, reinforcing panelsbeing used on the discharge channel. These panels are awkward for thepatient wearing the bag, make the drainage device more complex toproduce and may even impair the reliability of the leakproof nature ofthe drainage device in certain positions which the patient may adopt.

Document WO 01 28 470 describes an ostomy bag comprising a tongue fixedto a wall of the bag, which tongue folds back against a folded dischargechannel.

Patent document U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,977 describes an ostomy bag having arelatively rigid strip which defines with one side of the bag areceptacle into which is introduced a folded discharge channel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is thus to eliminate the disadvantageslisted above.

To do this, the invention proposes providing a drainage device in whichthe opening and closing operations are performed in two successivestages, with an intermediate position in which one of the portions ofthe discharge channel is held in a folded state, and the dischargechannel lacks any reinforcement.

More precisely, the invention relates to a bag for collecting bodyfluids, such as faecal material, designed to be disposed on the abdomenof a patient having undergone an ostomy and comprising:

-   -   a fluid-tight pouch formed of two films joined together at their        periphery and ending in a neck,    -   an elongate discharge channel connected to said neck and formed        of two walls joined together longitudinally in fluid-tight        manner, the discharge channel having a drainage orifice situated        at the opposite end from the neck for body fluids to flow out of        the pouch, and    -   an opening/closing device for transferring the discharge channel        from a folded closed state to an unfolded open state, the        opening/closing device comprising a first and a second        opening/closing means provided transversely relative to the        discharge channel,    -   in which said opening/closing means are both active when the        discharge channel is in the closed state and said        opening/closing device is adapted to open the discharge channel        by operation, in two successive stages, of the first and then        the second opening/closing means, one of the pouch films is        provided on the outside with a stiffening member disposed in the        vicinity of the neck, and the second opening/closing means of        the discharge channel, at least in its folded, closed state, is        disposed at least in part in a slot situated between the        stiffening member and the pouch film.

In this bag, since said opening/closing means are both active when thedischarge channel is in the closed state and said opening/closing deviceis adapted to open the discharge channel by operation, in two successivestages, of the first and then the second opening/closing means, one ofthe pouch films is provided on the outside with a stiffening memberdisposed in the vicinity of the neck and the second opening/closingmeans of the discharge channel is disposed, at least in its folded,closed state, in a slot situated between the stiffening member and thepouch film.

According to various preferred embodiments of the invention:

-   -   the stiffening member is substantially perpendicular to the        discharge channel and takes the form of a loop of stiffer        plastics material than the material constituting the films of        the pouch and of the walls of the discharge channel,    -   the second opening/closing means comprises at least one        transverse fold of the discharge channel sealing the latter when        the opening/closing device is in the closed position and,        moreover, a second fold disposed at the level of the neck, next        to the stiffening member, whatever the open or closed position        of the opening/closing device,    -   it comprises a handling tongue fixed to the second fold of the        second opening/closing means, which passes through the slot        situated between the stiffening member and the bag film and        which extends beyond this member so as to be able to be gripped,        such that the second opening/closing means may be displaced from        its open-position to its closed position by pulling on the        tongue,    -   the first opening/closing means is disposed, in the closed        position, over the stiffening member and it comprises a        self-gripping strip, having at least a first part, for example a        male or female strip of the “Velcro” type or any type of        repositionable adhesive, disposed on the handling tongue        situated substantially at the opposite end from the drainage        orifice of the discharge channel;    -   the handling tongue is connected to a fold of the second        opening/closing means, and    -   the stiffening member has an extension on the opposite side of        the opening of the slot situated between the stiffening member        and the bag film on the bag neck side, virtually at the point of        interaction of the parts of the self-gripping strip, and/or    -   the discharge channel is provided, away from the opening/closing        means, with transverse folds facilitating folding and unfolding        thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features, details and advantages of the invention will becomeclear from a reading of the description made with reference to theattached drawings provided by way of example and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a bag for collecting faecal material accordingto the invention and provided with a discharge channel in a totallyclosed state,

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a detail of FIG. 1, showing the first and second means ofclosing the discharge channel in a totally closed position;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the bag with the first closing means in anopen, unfolded position;

FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the bag with the discharge channel in theintermediate opening position;

FIG. 7 is a side view of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a front view of the bag with the discharge channel in atotally unfolded position, that is to say with the second closing meansopen,

FIG. 9 is a side view of FIG. 8,

FIG. 10 is a view similar to that of FIG. 8, but showing a variant, and

FIGS. 11 and 12 are diagrams indicating the positions of the variouselements of the variant of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 to 3 show, in the closed state, a bag 1 for collecting fluidfaecal material flowing from an orifice (not shown) formed in theabdomen of a patient with a stoma following an ileostomy, for example.

This bag 1 comprises a pouch 10 consisting of two spaced thin films 11and 12 welded together at their periphery so as to be leakproof relativeto the faecal material. The pouch 10 also comprises an open neck 15extended by an elongate channel 20 for discharging the faecal materialout of the pouch 10 when it is necessary to drain the collecting bag 1.

The discharge channel 20 consists of two films made of the same materialas those constituting the pouch, typically films providing an odourbarrier, such as for example composite films sold under the trade name“Saranex”. Any other film made from polyethylene, PVC (polyvinylchloride), PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride), EVA (ethylene vinyl acetateresin), or any polymer which may be extruded into a film, may also besuitable. These films form two spaced walls 21 and 22 weldedlongitudinally to one another by their respective edges to render themleakproof relative to the faecal material. The discharge channel 20ends, at the opposite end from the neck 15, in a drainage orifice 25allowing passage of the faecal material during draining of the bag 1.

The bag 1 is provided with a device 30 for opening/closing the dischargechannel 20, said device 30 being actuatable by the user provided withsaid bag 1 so that he/she can drain it very easily on his/her own. Tothis end, the opening/closing device 30 comprises a first means 32 foropening/closing the discharge channel 20. In this example, this firstopening/closing means 32 takes the form of a self-gripping strip soldunder the registered trademark “Velcro”, a male part 33 of which isdisposed on the inner face of a handling tongue 35 situated, asillustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9, substantially at the opposite end from thedrainage orifice 25 of the discharge channel 20, when said channel 20 isin the unfolded, open state. The other, female part 34 of the firstopening/closing means 32 is disposed on an outer surface of a wall 22 ofthe discharge channel, transversely relative thereto.

The opening/closing device 30 also comprises a second opening/closingmeans 36 formed by a first fold and a second fold 36 a and 36 b,disposed transversely relative to the discharge channel 20. The tongue35 is connected to the first fold 36 a, which is furthest from the neck15 of the pouch 10, while the second fold 36 b is disposed nearer to theneck 15.

The pouch 10 of the bag 1 is further provided with a stiffening member40 in the vicinity of the neck 15. This member takes the form of a loop42, similar to a belt loop, welded and/or glued externally to the film11 of the pouch 10 over substantially the entire width of said pouch 10.Said loop 42 is made of a sturdier plastics material than the materialconstituting the pouch 10 and the discharge channel 20, taking the formfor example of a polyethylene sheet, of a composite film of PE/PET(polyethylene/ polyethylene terephthalate), a film of rigid PVC or a PETfilm. Said loop 42 defines, with the film 11, a slot 45 perpendicular tothe discharge channel 20 and in which there is disposed the secondopening/closing means 36 when the opening/closing device 30 is in theclosed, folded state, as is visible in the detail view in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 4 to 7 illustrate a first stage in the opening of the dischargechannel 20. This first stage consists in detaching the strip of thefirst opening/closing means 32, which is located, in its closed state,over the loop 42. To do this, the user lifts the handling tongue 35, asillustrated by arrow F1 in FIG. 4. The result of this operation isillustrated by FIGS. 4 and 5, in which the strip 32 is shown in its openstate.

Following this operation, the discharge channel 20 may be unfolded bythe user into an intermediate position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and by thearrow F2. In this intermediate position, the discharge channel 20 isstill kept closed by the second opening/closing means 36, the folds 36 aand 36 b of which are held in position by the loop 42.

All that is then needed is to pull lightly on the end of the dischargechannel 20, preferably close to the drainage orifice 25, to unfold theaccordion-type folds 36 a and 36 b disposed under the loop 42, in orderto allow passage of the faecal material held back by these folds suchthat it flows into the discharge channel 20 and exits via the drainageorifice 25. In this open, unfolded position, the handling tongue 35 islikewise under the loop but remains accessible.

To close the discharge channel 20 again, all that is needed is to pullon the tongue to fold the second opening/closing means 36 back up, sothat the folds 36 a and 36 b return to their accordion-folded positionunder the loop 42.

Then, the channel is folded back up in such a way as to position themale and female parts 33 and 34 of the first opening/closing means 32opposite one another so as to close fully the discharge channel 20. Tothis end, the discharge channel 20 is provided, away from theopening/closing means 32 and 36, with transverse folds 26, 27 and 28facilitating folding and unfolding thereof.

The bag for collecting body fluid 1 according to the present inventionthus achieves a high level of security with regard to the leakproofnature of the discharge channel 2Q, even when the latter is partiallyopen, and considerable ease of use, owing to the use of the stiffeningloop 42 which holds the second opening/closing means 36 in place.

FIGS. 10 to 12 show a variant exhibiting different features from thoseof the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9.

In this embodiment, the self-gripping strip part 34 is above the fold 36b to which the tongue 35 is welded, that is to say closer to the neck15. The self-gripping strip part 33 fixed to the tongue 35 surrounds thedischarge channel more fully and holds it more firmly than in theembodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, as shown in particular by a comparison ofFIGS. 3 and 12.

An extension 43 of the stiffening member 40 is also shown, separatedfrom the main part of this member by a slot 44 through which pass thefolded discharge channel and the tongue. This extension constitutes arigid support which supports the self-gripping strip parts when they areapplied to one another on closure of the first opening/closing means.

It goes without saying, however, that these examples are given solely toillustrate the subject matter of the invention, which they do not limitin any way. In particular, said bag may be used for colostomies. The“Velcro” type strip may be replaced by a strip provided with arepositionable adhesive. The stiffening means 42 may take the form of aplurality of small, slightly spaced, rigid strips, in order to make thebag more comfortable to use.

1. A bag (1) for collecting body fluids, such as faecal material,designed to be disposed on the abdomen of a patient having undergone anostomy and comprising: a fluid-tight pouch (10) formed of two films (11,12) joined together at their periphery and ending in a neck (15), anelongate discharge channel (20) connected to said neck (15) and formedof two walls (21, 22) joined together longitudinally in fluid-tightmanner, the discharge channel (20) having a drainage orifice (25)situated at the opposite end from the neck (15) for body fluids to flowout of the pouch (10), and an opening/closing device (30) fortransferring the discharge channel (20) from a folded closed state to anunfolded open state, the opening/closing device (30) comprising a first(32) and a second (36) opening/closing means provided transverselyrelative to the discharge channel (20), characterised in that saidopening/closing means (32, 36) are both active when the dischargechannel (20) is in the closed state and said opening/closing device (30)is adapted to open the discharge channel (20) by operation, in twosuccessive stages, of the first (32) and then the second (36)opening/closing means, one of the films (11; 12) constituting the pouch(10) is provided on the outside with a stiffening member (40) disposedin the vicinity of the neck (15), and the second opening/closing means(36) of the discharge channel (20), at least in its folded, closedstate, is disposed at least in part in a slot (45) situated between thestiffening member (40) and the pouch film (11; 12).
 2. A bag accordingto claim 1, characterised in that the stiffening member (40) issubstantially perpendicular to the discharge channel (20).
 3. A bagaccording to claim 1, characterised in that the stiffening member (40)takes the form of a loop (42) of stiffer plastics material than thematerial constituting the films (11; 12) of the pouch and of the walls(21, 22) of the discharge channel (20).
 4. A bag according to claim 1,characterised in that the second opening/closing means (36) comprises atleast one fold (36 a) disposed transversely relative to the dischargechannel (20) and sealing the latter when the opening/closing device (30)is in the closed position.
 5. A bag according to claim 4, characterisedin that the second opening/closing means (36) comprises a second fold(36 b) disposed nearer to the neck (15) and the stiffening member thanthe first fold (36 a), whatever the open or closed position of theopening/closing device (30).
 6. A bag according to claim 1,characterised in that the first opening/closing means (32) is disposed,in the closed position, over the stiffening member (40).
 7. A bagaccording claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a handling tongue(35) fixed to the second fold of the second opening/closing means (36),which passes through the slot situated between the stiffening member(40) and the film (11; 12) of the bag (15) and which extends beyond thismember so as to be able to be gripped, such that the secondopening/closing means (36) may be displaced from its open position toits closed position by pulling on the tongue (35).
 8. A bag according toclaim 7, characterised in that the first opening/closing means (32)comprises a self-gripping strip having at least a first part (33; 34)disposed on the handling tongue (35) situated substantially at theopposite end from the drainage orifice (25) of the discharge channel(20).
 9. A bag according to claim 8, characterised in that thestiffening member (40) has an extension (43) on the opposite side of theopening of the slot situated between the stiffening member (40) and thebag film (11; 12) on the side of the bag neck (15), virtually at thepoint of interaction of the parts of the self-gripping strip.
 10. A bagaccording to claim 1, characterised in that the discharge channel (20)is provided, away from the opening/closing means (32, 36), withtransverse folds (26, 27, 28) facilitating folding and unfoldingthereof.
 11. A bag according to claim 2, characterised in that thestiffening member (40) takes the form of a loop (42) of stiffer plasticsmaterial than the material constituting the films (11; 12) of the pouchand of the walls (21, 22) of the discharge channel (20).
 12. A bagaccording to claim 2, characterised in that the second opening/closingmeans (36) comprises at least one fold (36 a) disposed transverselyrelative to the discharge channel (20) and sealing the latter when theopening/closing device (30) is in the closed position.
 13. A bagaccording to claim 3, characterised in that the second opening/closingmeans (36) comprises at least one fold (36 a) disposed transverselyrelative to the discharge channel (20) and sealing the latter when theopening/closing device (30) is in the closed position.
 14. A bagaccording to claim 2, characterised in that it comprises a handlingtongue (35) fixed to the second fold of the second opening/closing means(36), which passes through the slot situated between the stiffeningmember (40) and the film (11; 12) of the bag (15) and which extendsbeyond this member so as to be able to be gripped, such that the secondopening/closing means (36) may be displaced from its open position toits closed position by pulling on the tongue (35).
 15. A bag accordingto claim 2, characterised in that the discharge channel (20) isprovided, away from the opening/closing means (32, 36), with transversefolds (26, 27, 28) facilitating folding and unfolding thereof.